Device for detecting therapeutic proton beam emitted in scattering mode

Abstract

Disclosed is a proton beam detection device comprising a sensor having optical fiber of an arrangement structure capable of accurately and efficiently detecting proton dose distribution such as bragg peak, spread out bragg peak (SOBP) and symmetry of a therapeutic proton beam emitted in a scattering mode. The proton beam detection device, which detects a proton beam emitted from a proton beam source in a scattering mode, comprises a sensor having a plurality of detection modules including reference optical fiber and detection optical fiber having a length longer than the length of the reference optical fiber, the plurality of detection modules being diagonally arranged in the depth direction along which the proton beam emitted from the proton beam source proceeds.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for detecting a therapeutic proton beam that is emitted in a scattering mode from a proton beam source and progresses in a first direction that is a depth direction, comprising:
 a first sensor which comprises a plurality of first detection modules each comprising a first reference optical fiber and a first detection optical fiber having a length longer than a length of the first reference optical fiber, wherein the plurality of first detection modules each are disposed from each other along the first direction and diagonally arranged so that the adjacent first detection modules are not to overlap with each other in the first direction; and 
 a second sensor which comprises a plurality of second detection modules each comprising a second reference optical fiber and two second detection optical fibers having a length longer than a length of the second reference optical fiber, wherein the plurality of second detection modules are each arranged in parallel at the same depth in the depth along a second direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction, 
 wherein the first reference optical fiber and the first detection optical fiber in the first detection modules each have the same depth, and 
 wherein the second detection module each comprise the two second detection optical fibers which are disposed on both sides of the second reference optical fiber and generate two channels. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor comprises a plurality of diagonal arrangement structures each comprising a predetermined number of the first detection modules arranged in the first direction in which the proton beam emitted from the proton beam source progresses, and
 wherein the diagonal arrangement structures are repeatedly arranged in the depth direction in which the proton beam emitted from the proton beam source progresses. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first optical detector which detects light generated by the first reference optical fiber and the first detection optical fiber included in the first sensor and outputs an electric signal corresponding thereto; 
 a second optical detector which detects light generated by the second reference optical fiber and the second detection optical fiber included in the second sensor and outputs an electric signal corresponding thereto; and 
 a signal processor which receives the electric signal output from the first optical detector, calculates an intensity of light corresponding to a difference in lengths of the first detection optical fiber and the first reference optical fiber for each of the first detection modules, receives the electrical signal output from the second optical detector, and calculates an intensity of light corresponding to a difference in lengths of the second detection optical fiber and the second reference optical fiber for each of the second detection modules.